The Advocate Dings Obama on Gay Rights

Looks like President Obama’s efforts to smooth things over with the gay and lesbian community aren't going so well. Check out the latest issue of The Advocate, which illustrates its cover story on Obama’s short-comings with LGBTs with a take on those famous Shepard Fairey campaign posters. Instead of the cutline “HOPE,” The Advocate asks, “NOPE?” Inside, the story goes through a litany of campaign promises to gays and lesbians that Obama has failed to deliver on, including a roll-back of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. During the campaign, the magazine writes, Obama had seemed like a hero to the community. But now, not so much—even Dick Cheney is more supportive. “The hero,” the magazine says of Obama, “was a player.” Ouch.

But the article isn’t as harsh as you may think. For one, it doesn’t lay all the problems at Obama’s feet, instead turning its focus to whether the gay community has become “impotent” in its efforts to achieve equality. The question is whether gays are willing to fight as hard as other lobbies in Washington for their pet issues, even if it means risking friendships with people in power. “The national gay rights movement is trapped between activism and politics, between anger and ambition,” the article says. “We are trapped between wanting equal rights and wanting to get invited to parties at the White House.” Click here for the full piece.